A Clarendon woman who confessed to stealing more than $100,000 from her friend is expected to begin restitution later this month.

Racquel Foster, 33, pleaded guilty to simple larceny and unauthorised access to computer data in the Kingston and St Andrew Parish Court yesterday. The court heard that the complainant asked Foster, who is his co-worker, to assist him in accessing his bank account as he was experiencing difficulty with the online platform. Although Foster helped to resolve the issue, it was reported that she copied his account number and the access code and between May 16 and May 24, conducted transfers from his bank account to hers totalling $104,000.

It was further revealed that the complainant discovered the unauthorised transfers and reported the matter to the police. Foster, who was later arrested, when cautioned said, “Mi tek $35,000 but if the balance send to me account, mi will tek responsibility.”

“Why didn’t you ask him for the money?” parish judge Maxine Dennis-McPherson asked.

“I did ask and he did lend me,” Foster replied, sharing that she received $10,000 in loans from the complainant.

“How much money did you not get permission to take?” the judge asked, to which the defendant responded “$94,000.”

“Why did you take the $94,000 from the man’s account?” Dennis-McPherson probed further.

“I was going to return it,” Foster said, before the judge interjected, “Ma’am, it’s stealing, even if you had intentions to return it. You took the man’s money without permission. Come with the man’s money in two weeks’ time, I’ll sentence you.”

Foster was made the subject of a fingerprint order and a social enquiry report was also requested by the judge. She is to return to court on July 29.

– T.T.